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Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band which helped inspire black metal through their lyrics and image.http://mercyfulfate.bandcamp.com/The band was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1981 from the remaining members of Hank Shermann’s band Brats andKingDiamond’sband Black Rose. In early 1981 they helped out Michael Denner with demos for his band Danger Zone. Soon,Shermann,Denner, Diamond,and Denner’s bass player Timi Grabber realized their potential as a unit and started performing asMercyful Fate. The bandexperienced theusual member changes for a new band, as Denner left (and later r ...read more
Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band which helped inspire black metal through their lyrics and image.http://mercyfulfate.bandcamp.com/The band was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1981 from the remaining members of Hank Shermann’s band Brats andKingDiamond’sband Black Rose. In early 1981 they helped out Michael Denner with demos for his band Danger Zone. Soon,Shermann,Denner, Diamond,and Denner’s bass player Timi Grabber realized their potential as a unit and started performing asMercyful Fate. The bandexperienced theusual member changes for a new band, as Denner left (and later returned). Inaddition, the drummer position was a revolvingdoor, but KimRuzz finally established himself as the drummer.Several demos and live shows survive from 1981, including their infamous first concert “Sabbath of all witches” held inearly/mid 1981.Inearly 1982, the band contributed to the Ebony Records sampler Metallic Storm. Later on in the year,Mercyful Fate recorded its firstofficialrelease, Mercyful Fate, on vinyl for the Dutch label Rave On. The release includedheavy and evil material that would later inspire theblackmetal genre (although Venom and Bathory are as equally consideredas the forefathers of black metal).Following the EP, the band released Melissa in 1983 and Don’t Break the Oath in 1984, which are now considered by many tobe classics inboththe power metal and black metal genres. Following the tour (which saw them play in the United States forthe first time) in support ofDon’tBreak the Oath, Diamond split ways with Mercyful Fate in April 1985 as a result offrustration over creative differences with HankShermann.With him, Diamond brought band mates Hansen and Denner tofound a new band under his own name. Diamond’s new venturecontinued thetradition of Mercyful Fate, but with a moreprogressive, conceptual twist to it. In response, Hank Shermann formed the bandFate, whichpursued a more AOR direction.In July 1992, the band reformed and signed a contract with Metal Blade Records. All the original members without Kim Ruzz(replacedbyMorten Nielsen) reformed and released In the Shadows in 1993. The album featured a re-recording of “Return ofthe Vampire”, withMetallicadrummer and Mercyful Fate enthusiast Lars Ulrich playing on the track. In the years since, theband has released four other albums,with thelast being 9. Similar to the band’s first run, members have left and beenreplaced; Michael Denner left and was replaced by MikeWead,Drummer Nielsen was later replaced by Snowy Shaw who wasthen replaced by Bjarne Holm, Bassist Timi Hansen left quickly andwasreplaced by Sharlee D’Angelo. Following the release of9 (1999), King Diamond put Mercyful Fate on hold and continued his solocareer.Shermann, Denner, Holm and (King DiamondBass player) Hal Patino formed Force of Evil, which incorporates many of the themes oftheoriginal Mercyful Fate.In a March, 2008 interview, King Diamond stated that Mercyful Fate is currently “hibernating”, but had never split up. Thoughhe does notknowwhen the band will become active again, he said “It’s definitely not finished, at least in my book.”. « hide |
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